Stressing the need for preventing the resurgence of conflict, the Security Council this afternoon encouraged the Secretary-General to explore the possibility of establishing post-conflict peace-building structures as part of United Nations efforts to ensure a smooth transition to lasting peace.

In a statement read out by its President, Jassim Mohammed Buallay (Bahrain), the Council agreed with the Secretary-General that relevant post- conflict peace-building elements should be explicitly and clearly identified and that they could be integrated into the mandates of peacekeeping operations, and asked him to make appropriate recommendations on the subject. He was also asked to make recommendations to the appropriate United Nations bodies concerning the transitional period to the post-conflict peace-building phase when recommending the final drawdown of peacekeeping operations.

Reaffirming its primary responsibility under the United Nations Charter for the maintenance of international peace and security, the Council stressed the need to prevent the resurgence or escalation of conflict. Also, it recognized the timeliness of exploring further means to prevent and settle conflicts based on the United Nations Charter and generally recognized principles of peacekeeping, incorporating post-conflict peace-building as an important component.

The Council underlined the need for a sustained political will and a long-term approach in United Nations decision-making, including by the Council itself, in ensuring lasting solutions to conflicts. It affirmed its commitment to the principles of the political independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States in conducting peace-building activities, and the need for States to comply with their obligations under the Charter and the principles of international law.

It underlined the indispensability of significant international assistance to promote sustainable development in societies emerging from conflict and, in that context, recalled that Article 65 of the Charter

provided that the Economic and Social Council might furnish information to the Security Council and should assist it upon its request. Recognizing the need for close cooperation between United Nations bodies, in particular those involved in post-conflict peace-building, in accordance with their respective responsibilities, the Council expressed its willingness to consider ways to improve such cooperation. It emphasized the need to improve the exchange of information between all relevant actors, including international financial institutions, regional and subregional organizations, troop contributors and the donor community. It noted with appreciation the Secretary-General's plans for strategic frameworks to ensure increased coherence and effectiveness in United Nations activities in States in and recovering from crisis.

The meeting, which began at 4:56 p.m. , was adjourned at 5:02 p.m.

The text of the presidential statement, which will be issued as document S/PRST/1998/38, reads as follows:

"The Security Council recalls the open debate held at its 3954th meeting on 16 December 1998 and on 23 December 1998 on "The Maintenance of Peace and Security and Post-Conflict Peace-building". It recalls also the report of the Secretary-General of 13 April 1998 on "The causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa", which was submitted to the Security Council (S/1998/318) and to the General Assembly (A/52/871), as well as the report of the Secretary-General of 27 August 1998 on the Work of the Organization submitted to the fifty-third General Assembly (A/53/1). In this context, it welcomes the recommendations of the Secretary- General concerning the role of the Security Council in the aftermath of conflict, in particular in ensuring a smooth transition from peacekeeping to post-conflict peace-building. The Council recalls further the statement of its President (S/25696) of 30 April 1993 on the Secretary-General's report entitled "An Agenda for Peace", including the subject of post-conflict peace- building.

"The Security Council reaffirms its primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security. It stresses the need to prevent the resurgence or escalation of conflict. The Council recognizes the importance of the post-conflict peace- building efforts of the United Nations to this end in all regions of the world and with due involvement of all United Nations bodies. In particular, it welcomes the role played by the Secretary-General in this field. It recognizes the timeliness of exploring further means to prevent and settle conflicts based on the Charter of the United Nations and generally recognized principles of peacekeeping, and which would incorporate post-conflict peace- building as an important component.

"The Security Council recalls the statement of its President (S/PRST/1998/29) of 24 September 1998, which affirmed that the quest for peace in Africa requires a comprehensive, concerted and determined approach, encompassing the eradication of poverty, the promotion of democracy, sustainable development and respect for human rights, as well as conflict prevention and resolution, including peacekeeping, and humanitarian assistance. The Council underlines that efforts to ensure lasting solutions to conflicts require sustained political will and a long-term approach in the decision-making of the United Nations, including by the Council itself. It affirms its commitment to the principles of the political independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States in conducting peace- building activities, and the need for States to comply with their obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law.

"The Security Council underlines that economic rehabilitation and reconstruction often constitute the major tasks facing societies emerging from conflict and that significant international assistance becomes indispensable to promote sustainable development in such cases. In that context, it recalls that Article 65 of the Charter of the United Nations provides that the Economic and Social Council may furnish information to the Security Council and shall assist the Security Council upon its request.

"The Security Council, conscious of the emphasis placed by the Secretary-General on the issue of post-conflict peace-building, in particular in the context of the reform of the United Nations, encourages him to explore the possibility of establishing post-conflict peace-building structures as part of efforts by the United Nations system to achieve a lasting peaceful solution to conflicts, including in order to ensure a smooth transition from peacekeeping to peace-building and lasting peace.

"The Security Council recognizes the value of including, as appropriate, peace-building elements in the mandates of peacekeeping operations. It agrees with the Secretary-General that relevant post-conflict peace-building elements should be explicitly and clearly identified and could be integrated into the mandates of peacekeeping operations. It notes that peacekeeping operations may include military, police, humanitarian and other civilian components. It requests the Secretary-General to make recommendations to the Council to this effect whenever appropriate.

"The Security Council also requests the Secretary-General to make recommendations to the appropriate United Nations bodies concerning the transitional period to the post-conflict peace-building phase when recommending the final drawdown of a peacekeeping operation.

"The Security Council recognizes the need for close cooperation and dialogue between the bodies of the United Nations system, in particular those

directly concerned in the field of post-conflict peace-building, in accordance with their respective responsibilities and expresses its willingness to consider ways to improve such cooperation. It also emphasizes the need to improve the exchange of information between all relevant actors in the field of post-conflict peace-building, including United Nations agencies and bodies, international financial institutions, regional and subregional organizations, troop contributors and the donor community. In this context, it notes with appreciation the Secretary-General's plans for strategic frameworks to ensure increased coherence and effectiveness in the entire range of United Nations activities in State in and recovering from crisis.

"The Security Council will remain seized of the matter."

* *** *

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